Volkswagen to Unveil an Electric Car Concept

Volkswagen is planning to “go green” in Detroit in January 2012. The automaker is planning to unveil an electric car at the upcoming North American International Auto Show. However, the automaker has revealed that this will be a “pure concept” car, which means it might not find its way to the final production line.

This is not the first electric concept car from the German automaker. The automaker has previously showcased a small electric concept car dubbed as the E-Up at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009. The car that is headed to Detroit is not based on any current production car and the automaker has also hinted that this car will be different from the E-Up. But, how much this car will differ from the E-Up is still unclear. The concept will borrow styling cues from the Volkswagen Beetle, but will not be an electric version of the Beetle.

Alongside this electric concept, the automaker will also unveil a gas-electric hybrid version of the popular Jetta compact sedan. This car will be a primary rival to the market leading Toyota Prius. The Jetta hybrid will be powered by an electric motor coupled to a 1.4 liter turbocharged gasoline engine. However, this sedan is not due in showrooms until next November.

With an extensive range of clean diesel engines, Volkswagen is already popular amongst the eco-conscious drivers. But, the market for electric cars is growing and thus, the German automaker intends to make its presence felt in this sector.